Monday, 17 July 2017

Sittu Shawwal: Have you done your 6-day fast?

What's next is the Sunnah Mustahabbah (a recommended prophetic practice). It is a fast that lasts for six days of Shawwal.

Unlike the obligatory fast of Ramadan, this is not mandatory. But it is rather important.

It is believed that partaking in this fast will lead to great virtue and an immense reward. In fact, it is believed that the reward that comes from doing this six-day fast (after observing Ramadan fast) is akin to if he/she had fasted a whole year.

This belief is supported by The Messenger of Allaah (peace be upon him) who says: “Whoever fasts Ramadaan and follows it with six days of Shawwaal, it will be as if he fasted for the whole year.” (Narrated by Muslim, Abu Dawood, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nisaa’i and Ibn).

The prophet adds that: “Whoever fasts for six days after (Eid) al-Fitr has completed the year: (whoever does a good deed (hasanah) will have ten hasanah like it).”

Another report says: “Allaah has made for each hasanah ten like it, so a month is like fasting ten months, and fasting six days completes the year.” (al-Nisaa’i and Ibn Maajah).

This is further supported by Ibn Khuzaymah with the wording: “Fasting for the month of Ramadaan brings the reward of ten like it, and fasting for six days brings the reward of two months, and that is the fasting of the whole year.”